Motorists failing to give way to emergency ambulances to face severer penalties

The National Legislative Assembly will forward a call for the amendment of traffic law to the Royal Thai Police to consider hefty punishment for drivers who fail to give way to ambulance with critically injured patient on board.

NLA’s movement came after an outspoken medical technologist known widely in the social world as Mor Lab Panda, administrator of Street Hero Project page on Facebook submitted a letter to the NLA president calling for the hefty punishment for drivers who fail to give way to emergency ambulance.

The administrator called for the increase of the current 500 baht fine for such offence to 10,000-20,000 baht, and a suspension of driving license from 1-3 months.

Action for hefty punishment came after a motorist deliberately disallowed an emergency ambulance to take over his way, resulting in the death of the patient for late arrival at hospital.

NLA deputy president Surachai Liengboonkertchai said after receiving the formal call that the NLA would forward the matter to the RTP to consider the amendment of the law to increase penalties for these drivers.

He personally viewed that if the deliberate obstruction of the emergency ambulance resulted in the death of the patient, the driver should face criminal offence for reckless driving that causes death to other, not just a 500 baht fine.

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